Dental unit



Feb. 1 1927. 1,616,253 J. P. CLARKE DENTAL UNIT Filed March 25, 1926 A TTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 1, 1,927.,

JOSEPH P. CLARKE, F SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNA.

DENTAL UNIT.

Application mea March 25, 192e. 'serian No. 97,163.

relative to the unit, but invariably with thewater'connections arranged exteriorly of the cuspidor and, in many instances, independently of the pedestal.

My invention has for its primary 'object the provision of a cuspidor of the character specitied bearing self-contained iushing ducts of such dispositionand arrangement as to produce a swirling motion in the water upon entering the bowl for the more thcrough flushing and cleansing of the interior bowl surface.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a dental cuspidor adapted to tit any standard unit and embodying within its own construction and as an integral part thereof novel flushing means, and of a design adapted to be used independently, or, where desired, in connection with its own standard or support.

An additional object ot the invention is the provision of a dental unit of neat and attractive design having as a supporting standard a hollow pedestal bearing eXteriorly the various appurtenaces necessary to the dentist in treatment of patients, and housing interiorly thc valve-controlled conpurtenances to water, air, gas, electric, or such other supply source as may be necessary to their roper utilization.

Additional to the foregoing is the provision, in connection witha dental cuspidor of the character designated, of flexible tubular members connecting with the water supply line, one above and the other below the valve in this line and adapted respectively for excess secretions removal from the patients mouth while under treatment and tor mouth rinsing, the latter being supplied with a conveniently arranged push-button actuated valve.

Another object is the provision of a cuspidor bowl of the character designated that is provided with novel means for securing the bowl to the pedestal.

' nections serving to unite certain of these ap-A In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification and in which simi- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a dental unit of the Ritter type, showing an embodiment of my invention as substituted for the ordinary cuspidor bowl, used in connection with this type of unit.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a pedestal land cuspidor bowl, showing an embodiment of one type of cuspidor bowl and its connections constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the cuspido bowl, with parts broken away for the better illustration of the relative positions of the flushing duct discharge openings;

Figure 4 is a side view partly in section, showing an embodiment of my improved cuspidor bowl as applied to a pedestal and independent ot the unit, the water connections to the rinsing nozzle and the flexible connection to the saliva tube being shown in their respective positions;

Figure 5 is a detail view of a sanitary nozi zle borne by a exible tube and adapted for the convenience ofthe patient in mouth rinsing; and

Figure (3 is a plan view of the nozzle shown in Figure 5.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, in wiich a preferred embodiment of my invention is l'illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4, l represents a hollow cast pedestal having a frusto conical head 2 yat its upper end provided with a flat top 3 and screw threaded exterior upper edge 4, said fiat top providing a cuspidor bowlseat, upon which the cuspidor is mounted and held rigidly in position.

The top 3 of the pedestal head has acentrally positioned base 5 forminga drain outlet into which a drain pipe 6 is tapped. The cuspidor bowl 7 is preferably constructed of either porcelain or glass and is open at its upperend 8 and provided with an integral fiange 9 surrounding its inner edge, the lower end thereof forming a flat base and exteriorly toi-med bead of slightly less diameter than the upper end of the head 2 of the pedestal and provided interior-ly with a central disdrain pipe 6, said bowl having 1ts base 11 seated upon a protective gasket 12 resting upon the flat top 3 of the pedestal head and having said gasket extending up yaround the edge of the bead, to protect the bowl from contact with the metal pedestal.

The means for clamping the bowl-7 to the pedestal head 2 consists of a union nut 13 having an internal flange 14 adapted to rest upon the bead of the bowl neck and provided with internal threads vadapted to `fit the external threads 4 formed upon the said head 2 of the pedestal. The bowl is drawn down tightly upon the gasket 12, through this means without injury and will thereby form water tight contact between the bowl and its water inlet and discharge connections.

The bowl is provided with inlet ducts 15 and 16 formed in opposite sides of its wall and yextending upwardly in substantially spiral manner and opening directly thereinto, with their lower ends communicating with an annular port 17 formed in the base and surrounding the discharge 10, their upper ends 18 and 19 being located just beneath the flange 9 and adapted to discharge against the interior bowl surface and to give a swirling motion to the entering water. The annular port 17 is supplied with water through an inlet pipe 20 tapped into the member 3, the flow being controlled by a valve 21 having its stem projecting through the pedestal wall just below the bowl and provided with a wheel for its manipulation.

The rinsing nozzle 22 is adapted to normally rest against the head 2 of the pedestal just below the bowl and conveniently within reach of the'patient, the nozzle being borne by a flexible tube 24 the o posite extremity of which extends througli an opening 25 in they pedestal head and connects with the inlet pipe 20, the nozzle flow being controlled by a push-button 26 and held over the basin, or bowl, by the patient While rinsing the mouth. If desired a thermal unit may be enclosed within the tube 24 adjacent thenozzle 22 for the purpose of raising the temperature of the water in its passage therethrough.

In Figure 1, the bowl 27 is shown mounted upon a support 28 of a typical dental unit 2 9, the bowl in this desi n being connected to the water suppl in t e main supply by a nip le 30, the ow of water being'controlla le through a valve 31 connected to the supply line, not shown. The rinsing connection .3 2 may be brought through an opening in the standard and a nozzle 33 similar to the nozzle 22 secured toits outer end and held in place by an opening 34 formed in the standard 29.

The saliva tube 35, of suction character and similar to those generally employed in connection with dental units and of ejector principle, is shown in Figure4 as connected to the inlet pipe20 above the valve 21 by a pipe connection 36, the mouth-piece 37 being connected to the free end of the tube 35 and secured conveniently at hand in readiness for use, its operation being dependent upon the lowered ressure induced in the tube by the rapid ow of water in pipe 2O past the tube mouth as it is being' discharged into the bowl.

Having thus described my invention, I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a dental unit, in combination, ay cuspidor-supporting pedestal having a frustoconical head bearing screw-threads at its upper end, a cuspidor borne by said pedestal and consisting of ahollow bowl bearing a base having an annular bead formed at its edge, an interiorly flangedupper edge and a central discharge opening, a nut loosely borne by said beaded base and adapted to engage said screw-threaded pedestal head,

vsaid bowl having a` self-contained duct formed within its base andsurroundin said discharge opening, a plurality of similar ducts communicating therewith and extending therefrom spirally and upwardly within the wall of said bowl and opening into the interior thereof at opposite points, and a water-supply pipe enclosed within said pedestal and communicating with said ducts.

2. In a dental unit, in combination, a cuspidor-supporting pedestal having a frustoconical head bearing external screw-threads at its upper end, a cuspidor consisting of a hollow bowl having al solid base and beaded lower edge adapted to seat upon said pedestal head, a nut loosely borne by said beaded base and adapted to engage said screw-threaded pedestal head, a gasket between said pedestal he'ad and said bowl base, said bowl having a self-contained duct formed within its base and surrounding a discharge opening', a plurality of similar ducts communicatin therewith and extending therefrom spiral y and upwardly within the wall of said bowl and opening into the interior thereof at opposite points, and a valve-controlled water-sup ly pipe enclosed within said pedestal an communicating with the said ducts.

-3. In a dental unit, in combination, a pedestal having a frusto-conical head bearing a smaller base forming acuspidor support and having external screw-threads at its upper end, a cuspidor consisting of a hollow bowl having a solid base of a diameter equallig that ofthe smaller base of.

lill) gasket restingvupon said pedestal head and bowl and opening into the interior thereof forming a water-tight joint between the at opposite points, and a Valve-controlled head and bowl, a discharge opening formed water-supply pipe enclosed within said ped- '40 in the base of said bowl, a duct surrounding estal-and communicating with said ducts.

5 said discharge opening, a plurality o'ducts In testimony whereof I have aixed my communicating therewith. and extending' signature. therefrom upwardly within the wall of said JOSEPH P. CLARKE. 

